Based on an original idea of Chan’s, the story is a two-hander action comedy featuring a detective (Chan) who must track down an American gambler that has skipped out on his debt owed to a Macau casino syndicate. The settings include Hong Kong, Macau, Eastern Europe and mainland China.

No wonder, the world’s impression of China still focuses on the “cultural revolution” (1966-76), men’s long braids typical of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and foot binding. Those indeed are representative of China’s past, but other parts are often neglected, and the true stories of China and its people have long been misread. The varnished and sometimes demonized images simply hold the real China back from the rest of the world.

Micro News

Zhou Xun

Stills from a media set visit in Beijing for the latest celebrity micro film, “I Know You”, starring Zhou Xun and Jing Bo-Ran. Produced by Pang Ho-Cheung, Wing Shya directs from a script by Jody Luk (”Love in the Buff”). In the fantasy romance, Zhou Xun plays three roles, as a teacher, a beautician and a doctor, as well as an alien who like to eat Earth’s food. Jing Bo-Ran plays a chef. The film was shown to the media in Beijing. Wing Shya explained that the film explores the love and trust of city people and expresses the yearning for the simple life.

Tang Wei and director Kim Tae-Yong attend the Hong Kong premiere of “Late Autumn”. Hyun Bin was absent due to work commitments. Asked for a reaction to Edison Chen’s recent declaration of love for her, Tang Wei was unwilling to give a positive response. She gave thanks to all friends and fans who like her. An staff member came to her aid and dragged her off.

In more Edison weirdness: Perhaps to try and distract attention from Tang Wei fans urging him to let go of their idol, he posted a black and white image of the back of Chow Yun-Fat from “God of Gamblers” with the words, ”I am also in love with him, someone can help me to tell him?” The two posts received over 40,000 comments. Many of Tang’s fans have already responded, asking the notorious lothario to give Tang a break and leave her alone, and suggesting that he has been watching Lust/Caution and wants to make a sequel with himself as the star. (TaipeiTimes)

“Dear Enemy” is a poor movie in almost every sense, a rating of four out of 10 does it enough justice. The only explanation for its popularity is perhaps that moviegoers have had too much intense viewing of late with “The Flowers of War” and “Flying Swords of Dragon Gate”, so that a modern, light-hearted film holds some appeal for them for a change, never mind how cheesy it is.

Huayi Brothers, the production company behind the urban romance “LOVE”, invited actor Huang Xiaoming to shoot a short film in an effort to promote the film “LOVE”. The short film will be screened prior to the feature length movie’s release on February 14, during the Valentine’s Day slot.

The Hong Kong Film Critics Society announced veteran actor Sean Lau Ching Wan as the winner of the Best Actor Award and Deannie Yip the winner of the Best Actress Award at the 18th Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards.

In The 33D Invader, Wu plays Future, a woman who travels from the year 2046 to 2011 in search of a healthy man to impregnate her because the entire male population had become sterile due to alien radiation.

Meanwhile, Wu appears to be at a crossroad in her life. She posted on her Weibo account on Christmas Day: “The older you get, the less you know about what you want, which gets you thinking harder about what you want.

Yang, who edited the feature films “Xiu Xiu, The Sent Down Girl” and “Autumn in New York,” both directed by actress Joan Chen, said she next plans to make short films about Chinese activists and also hopes to direct a feature film.

Compared to the film “The Founding of a Republic”, Han’s 2009 extravaganza which also featured a similar cast scale, the co-director said that the new film would be “much better” in terms of plots and scenes.

Carina Lau, Kate Moss and Vivian Chow appeared for a ribbon-cutting event for French brand Longchamp in Hong Kong.

Kate Moss left after ten minutes and did not stay for the champagne toasting ceremony

Meanwhile, Vivian Chow’s husband raised eyebrows when he was spotted dining with a young woman that was a Charlene Choi look-a-like. (Sina), (Xinhua-gallery)

He elaborated that he often walked around dressed in a singlet and shorts in his house, and because of this his parents found it hard to invite friends over. His parents have told him more than once that they would like to have “space” away from him. (RazorTV video)

While Shu Qi did not say much, her wedding card spoke volumes of her thoughts on her best friend’s nuptials.

“I really can’t bear to let you spend the rest of your life with another person.

“You must know that I am holding back tears and putting up with the pain to leave you in the hands of someone who loves you even more,” wrote the actress, who took three flights from her filming location just to attend Lin’s wedding.

Before flying back to Shenzhen, Shu Qi reminded the groom of “wives rules”, to help wash Lei-Lei’s (Kelly) underwear, sweep, mop, cook, to greet her every morning; and if Lei-Lei is cold at night, to keep her warm. Chris replied, Yes, sir! But isn’t underwear machine washable? (Sina)

Reporters learned that Zhang Yimou invited a group of friends into a small television editing room to watch a preview of Romance Under the Hawthorn Tree. Though the original novel brought numerous tears to readers, the film was described as touching but not overly sentimental. In addtion, much has been made of the young actress playing Quiet Autumn, Zhou Dongyu, but praise was lavished on the young boy played by Dou Xiao. According to one viewer, ‘His performace was fine, pure, natural and simple. After the movie release, he will become a hit with young schoolgirls and thousands will fall in love with him.’ (Sina)

Cast of A Chinese Ghost Story press conference at Changchun Film Festival

Liu Yifei, Yu Shaoqun

Kara Hui

Louis Fan Siu-Wong, Wang Danyi Li

Following Ip Man 2’s May release this year, Wilson Yip is planning on a May 2011 release for A Chinese Ghost Story. (Xinhua), (Sina)

Faye Wong’s 13 year-old daughter is said to have inherited her mother’s genes after she sang in public for the first time. Dou Jing Tong sang a song, I Need You, in English beginning a little tentatively at first but gaining strength as she continued. The occasion was part of the ‘Angel Fund Tour’. Stepfather Li Yapeng and Dou Jing Tong and volunteers of the medical team of the Angel Fund to benefit children with free surgery to correct cleft lips were visiting a school in the town of Chifeng. After a day’s activity and a few glasses of wine, the students performed singing and dancing around a bonfire party to welcome the distinguished guests. Then, Li Yapeng introduced Dou Jing Tong, ‘Now I introduce to you a guest, she is my eldest daughter, Tong Tong. She will sing a song on stage for everyone, please give her a little applause.’ Afterwards, volunteers said her voice was crisp and sounded very much like her mother’s. Li Yapeng said that three years ago Tong Tong asked for a set of electronic drums and he approved. Tong Tong is active in the orchestra and choir at school. (Xinhua), 2

Some felt there was nothing wrong with his tweets and expressed disappointment that he caved to pressure and apologised while others felt he should have been more careful with his words in the first place.

“This time the mistake is especially big, his words come out the wrong way every time,” said Tseng during the event, which reportedly saw more than 1,000 TVB employees turn up to mourn the deaths of the hostages.

The film is about the romance between a fairy who has sweet smell but is an aphasiac and a young man from a wealthy family. The beautiful and innocent fairy saves the young man’s life and eventually falls in love with him.

He said that the 11-hour standoff, which led to the death of hostage-taker Rolando Mendoza and 8 Hong Kong tourists, was also hard for the Filipino people, particularly the police.

“If they killed the guy sooner, they will say why not negotiate first? If they negotiate first, they ask why not kill the guy sooner? So sad,” Chan tweeted.

Hong Kongers weren’t very pleased with Chan’s comments. Moments after, they set up a Facebook groups to criticize the actor, such as “Jackie Chan doesn’t represent Hong Kong” and “Jackie Chan doesn’t represent me.”

Johnnie To is said to be ready to begin shooting a new film in November based on the recent real-life Chongqing anti-corruption crackdown. [At least one senior Chongqing official was executed.] A script has been submitted and awaiting final approval by the film review board. Casting possibilities include Sun Honglei and Tony Leung Chiu-Wai. (Sina)(Related)

The film stars Shawn Yu and Zhang Yuqi directed by Law Chi-Leung (Inner Senses, Double Tap). The horror film opens Aug. 13 and is based on a series of three novels, The Deserted Inn, The Deserted Apartment, and The Deserted Return. (Sina)

In a press conference held in Chengdu, it was revealed that Let the Bullets Fly would be released in two versions, Mandarin and Sichuanese. While Jiang Wen and Ge You’s native dialects are not too different, they would dub there own voices in Sichuanese. However, it is not possible for Chow Yun-Fat. Possibly Xuan Xiaoming would dub him but also a possibility, it was teased, was China Film Group’s boss Han Sanping himself may dub Fat Gor’s voice. (Xinhua)

Feng Xiaogang blew up at a female reporter when questioned about the accuracy of a plot point in Aftershock. The point at issue, I think, was whether the character really remained a widow after the earthquake in memory of her husband or not.

Elsewhere, during a TV interview, Feng said that he was contemplating retiring from film after completing his contractual obligations with Huayi Brothers which is for five more films. Feng cited three reasons for retiring: 1) Lack of rest. He will be 60 when he finishes the 5 films. He admires Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige but he misses time to play, drink with friends. 2) He is disappointed in the entertainment industry. When he directed an army art troupe it was like an art and literary circle with dedicated artists. Now, it is different. A lot of it is packaging young actors, etc. It’s exhausting. 3) Lack of privacy. He expressed his hatred of being hounded by paparazzi. They are always following and filming. He wants to kick them again and again. But since he cannot, it is more tiring. (Xinhua), 2, (Sina)

Jackie Chan - Berlin

Jackie Chan was in Berlin promoting The Karate Kid. He reportedly looked tired as news of ‘endorsement-gate’ has reached him, no doubt. (Xinhua)

Stephen Chow and long-time girlfriend Yu Man-Fung have broken up. Their low-key relationship since 1998 has finally dissolved according to news reports. Yu was the financial wizard behind Chow’s real estate investments and earned him hundreds of millions of dollars over the years. Yu and Chow will maintain their business relationship but marriage was not to be as Chow’s mother apparently did not accept her. Yu Man-Fung has since began dating a wealthy banker’s son.

Richard Li has reportedly give Isabella Leong cash, stock and properties in Toronto and San Francisco worth a value of 300M yuan so far. Yet, insiders say that Isabella currently is not as anxious for a marriage certificate as people think. One spokesman said, she is still ‘Miss Leong’. Friends say that Isabella is still in the US and has received many offers to return to film but with children to raise she is not interested in a comeback yet. .(Xinhua), 2

Carina Lau’s 2 year quest to get pregnant has been abandoned. In a wedding anniversary dinner, Carina is said to have told Tony Leung’s mother that she has tried to give her a grandchild, but do not expect it. Tony’s mother supports the decision. (Xinhua)

{Belated, but in English. SG Yahoo translates Chinese reports and are often many days after the fact. I post them for the sake of having the more accurate and detailed English version, not their timeliness.]

May 14, 2010

An irreparable father-son bond triggers a study in bleak cityscapes and pervasive intergenerational malaise in “Chongqing Blues.” Initially as glum as its title would suggest, Wang Xiaoshuai’s poignant if plodding ninth feature — which follows an absentee father trying to glean information about the dead son he never knew — eventually opens up with a handful of quietly affecting moments, but elsewhere bogs down in psychodramatic flashbacks that ultimately sentimentalize as much as they clarify. http://hkmdb.com/news/?p=5453

A strong performance by Wang Xueqi as the father provides emotional ballast but fails to make up for the glacial pacing of the drama; and although there are some effective emotional tugs and an evocative use of the film’s dirty industrial city setting, the audience’s investment in the slowbuild structure is never paid back in full. http://hkmdb.com/news/?p=5456

Tasty, full of black humour, but finally upended by the mannerist games it plays so ably, erotic thrillerThe Housemaid is a smart but shallow remake of Kim Ki-young’s cult 1960 Korean movie of the same name.

Sandcastle marks a quietly assured debut feature from writer/director Boo Junfeng. The blending of guilty family secrets and the ghosts of Singapore’s recent past create an involving narrative that is related with tenderhearted understatement.

A young mother understandably wants to get off a remote island filled with violent and misogynistic miscreants and slave-driving old hags in “Bedevilled,” a confused genre hodgepodge that marks the feature debut of Kim Ki-duk’s former assistant director Jang Cheol-soo. Part limpid study of city-country contrasts, part one-sickle-kills-all revenge fantasy, Jang’s film drifts from one genre to another without ever fully coming into its own.

First up for Chan himself is the martial arts film “Drunken Master 1945.” Though neither a remake nor sequel to Chan’s 1978 hit “Drunken Master,” the new film is intended to capture the martial arts spirit that the earlier film also celebrated.

Beginning in August, Steve Woo will direct “The Break-Up Artist,” a Chinese Mandarin-language romantic comedy about a young woman who runs an agency that helps couples break up.

Rumor Mill: Previously, Edko announced that Tsui Hark would remake a 3D version of New Dragon Inn. No cast has been announced yet. Earlier rumors has Gui Lun-Mei and Ethan Ruan as Tsui Hark’s favorite candidates. A current rumor from an ‘insider’ on the micro-blogosphere has Jet Li, Li Yuchun and Zhou Xun in the new love triangle with filming to begin in September. (HunanTV)

Director Hu Mei plans to take the film’s cast and crew to Qufu in Shangdong Province, Confucius’ hometown, for a grand worship ceremony on the same day. Chow who portrays Confucius in the movie will deliver an elegiac address at the event.

Avatar had been showing on 2,500 screens – a third on 3D and IMAX screens, while the remaining two-thirds were on regular screens, which cost an average of 30 to 40 yuan a ticket, half the price of a 3D ticket. IMAX tickets, however, at 130 to 150 yuan, have been criticized as too expensive for many Chinese moviegoers.

A story about North and South Korean spies called “Blood Brothers” may initially seem like mawkish cliche capitalizing on the tragic divide of the peninsula.

But pleasantly surprising, bona fide entertainment is on offer ― an incisive observation of modern Korea that is tastefully packaged as a humorous and gripping story of a budding “bromance” between foes.